Doppio Zero, Bel Air Mall

D1 and I had been planning to see The Script (Irish pop/rock band) live in concert for months now.  What we hadn’t planned on was the traffic heading towards The Dome at Northgate.  “Together We Cry” was the anthem sung by all motorists as they shuffled along in a train formation and snaked their way up to the venue.

Concert “grub” was not going to be the order of the evening so we, ingeniously, decided to make a turn towards Bel Air Mall and were happy to discover a Doppio Zero (a stable restaurant franchise in S.A.) at this centre.  The rather large outside area had been closed off due to wintry weather conditions and all patrons were seated indoors.  Our waiter, at times overwhelmed by the influx of customers, was smart enough to initiate the evening by considering whether we were one of the many concert-goers so he could ensure our food would be served in time.



First place winner

  

A basket of small bread slices was brought to the table with plenty of butter to smear on them.  Between the two of us, we had no problem in clearing this in record time.  D1 has a knack for selecting a good wine to accompany our meals and didn’t disappoint this time – a glass of Boland Cellar Five Climates Merlot (“aromas of succulent berries and hints of mint enhanced by soft oak flavours”).  We proceeded with our mains - I ordered Linguini Pesto Arabella, a simple pasta dish infused with pesto, artichokes, mozzarella and pine nuts – hold the artichokes! 

D1 went for good old faithful – a 250g rump accompanied with pepper sauce and sides of roast vegetables and spinach.  Both meals, which arrived at the table together, were well presented and fresh ingredients had been used. 

Winner: the full bodied wine with its blend of subtle flavours.

Loser: pasta dish could have done with more olive oil and a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan.  The rump was a little too cooked for the medium/rare request.



Herbivore and Carnivore options are available



Before we headed off into the cold snap of the frosty night, we ordered cappuccino’s to round off the dinner portion of our evening.  The coffees were hot and the beans used, of a high quality.  Delicious!

 

A great start to what turned out to be an eventful evening with a crowd of 18 300 strong.

Vida e Caffé, Melrose Arch

No week is complete without having had at least one, professionally made hot caffeinated drink. 

Vida e Caffé is awkwardly situated on the first floor of Melrose Arch’s shopping district, inbetween escalators and a row of clothing, jewellery and home décor stores.  This, however, does not stop it from being frequented by exhausted shoppers, rowdy children and the odd gentleman who quickly slips away from the nightmare of following his better half around who constantly rummages through endless clothing racks.

Well lit by the glass ceiling above it, the weather sets the mood and a number of Chesterfield couches draped with throws gives it a cozy feel (and makes me wish I was inside a library).  Orders are taken by the keen and friendly staff.  C1 and I each ordered a cappuccino – these were piping hot, had a fairly strong coffee flavour and were finished off with an individually wrapped Lindt dark chocolate placed on each saucer – a nice touch.   

Branded crockery and little extras is the name of the game

Plus:  good drinks, some small snacks such as muffins and sandwiches on offer.

Minus:  it’s difficult to get past the location of this café. 



Europa, Melrose Arch

On a breeze free but fresh Sunday morning, it was fitting that I met L1 at Europa in Melrose Arch.  Europa is a well-renowned brand within the South African market.  This restaurant/coffee shop has a family-friendly yet trendy vibe – perfect for the early morning business meeting (opening at 06:00 daily), long overdue catch-up with friends and family get togethers.

Sitting outside but under awnings with mounted wall heaters, we could converse (without shouting) with each other whilst enjoying a good breakfast.  L1 decided on the Vivaldi Omelette filled with ham, cheese and tomato topped with parsley, and I settled for home-cooked oats with almond flakes and honey plus two slices of wholewheat toast on the side.  I’ve been told I skim my oats when I eat them – surely that makes them taste better right?  Right!



Winter breakfast of Champions

The portions are large but well prepared and the presentation is considerate.  Two cappuccino’s completed the meal and I’m happy to say they were a 6.5 out of 10.  Nice and strong, not as hot as I would have liked, but enough to satisfy.  No special foam artwork though L

Big bird on a plate


 

Happy: variety of options, good portion sizes and competitive pricing

Sad: waiters scarce at times.  My general gripe about restaurants, at this stage, is over-eager waiters pinning you down to make your choice of beverage and feast, and then disappearing once they have fulfilled this.  A good balance of being attentive yet giving patrons their much needed space is key. 





Japan International Day

The Jacaranda City set the scene for a day of delights.  Accompanying me on my trip were H1 and M1 – experts on the topic of good Japanese eats and personal friends of the Japanese Ambassador and his wife.

Being ever the eager-beaver’s, we arrived early in the area and managed to find a “darling” coffee house known as The Tea Café in Waterkloof.  Victorian finishes – wallpaper, pressed ceilings and chandeliers made me feel like I had just walked onto the set of 7de Laan.  Too bad the cappuccino’s weren’t as appropriately made.  Three strong filter coffees were ordered during round 2 – a vast improvement.

And so the search for the Cappuccino King is on! (stay tuned....)

From here, we made our way to the Ambassador’s residence with lush rolling lawns and beautiful views of Pretoria.  Perfect for Guy Fawkes entertaining.

The gist of the event was to sample authentic dishes from various countries, the main one being Japan.  We created our own meze with Japanese sushi, Korean pancakes, Panamanian coffee and Chinese rice and coconut balls.  Oh, and not forgetting the cool matcha ice-cream to round off the meal.



Matcha ice-cream



Once we’d stuffed ourselves and felt like Emperors in the land of good food, we decided to shop for crafts, clothing and various other accessories available and bid on items for auction – Cuban cigars anyone? 

Origami

Proceeds from the day went to various children’s charities, as well as individuals and families affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Sendai, Japan.



Shahi Khana

G1 and I picked the perfect place to eat out on a chilly night in Jozi!

Shahi Khana is a well-established family run restaurant in Norwood.   Warm décor, rich colours and appropriate background music set the scene for an authentic Indian cuisine evening.  By chance, we happened to visit on buffet Tuesday’s when you can sample a variety of their famous dishes from 18:00.  From what I can gather, it looks like “dad” runs the restaurant whilst two “sons” act as head waiters and “mum” cooks in the kitchen.

Each dish is well prepared and spice-infused flavours are carefully considered to compliment the main ingredients.  For the more adventurous taste buds, extra sauces are on hand.

Starters consisted of SAMoosa’s, deep fried potato patties, dumplings, chilli bites, tempura and pastry pockets filled with spiced potatoes and other vegetables.  Warning:  if you are on a low carb diet, stay away! 

Carb lovers starter

With mains (in which I had healthy scoopings of paneer* masala and bean and pea salad), we were given slivers of warm, freshly made butter naan – the perfect accompaniment.

*Paneer = an Indian cheese that’s an excellent source of protein for vegetarians

We also made some room for vanilla nut ice-cream for dessert.  Just one scoop – more than enough to satisfy our craving.

Aromatic basmati rice & paneer masala

Thumbs up – Variety.  Good pricing.  Great for take aways.  “Franchises” within Johannesburg each having their own flair and style of Indian cooking.

Thumbs down – additional waiters have difficulty assisting customers at times.

New Beginnings

I am finally taking the plunge.  I am going to document my run-ins and, let's be honest, love affair with food.  Food feeds the soul and is one of life’s aphrodisiacs.  I am lucky enough to be living in the "New York of Africa" - the epicentre of multi-culturalism and creativeness.  Gauteng’s streets are bursting at the seams with restaurants, bistros, speciality food-stores and cafés all waiting to serve their famed dishes and best cappuccino’s. 

I am far from an expert (and far from a professional writer), however, my mission shall be to take you on a culinary journey and inspire you to go in search of your favourite things.  I’ll share with you my experiences, thoughts, ideas, hints and tips.



Cheers!